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genetic disease

genetic disease

12 3.5
A health problem caused by a change in a person's genes that can be passed from parents
  • noun
  • /dʒəˈnɛtɪk dɪˈziːz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : enfermedad genética
  • Researchers are studying over 6,000 genetic diseases to find potential treatments.
  • developing a genetic disease

So these are not classical Mendelian genetic diseases of large effect.

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Examples

  • Surely progeria is among the saddest of genetic diseases and one of the rarest.

    Blog text (31)
  • Many genetic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, can be inherited from parents.

  • Your kids have a genetic disease.

  • "In the Arab world, genetic diseases represent a major public health problem.

    Blog text (20)
  • As a genetic disease, BLAD cannot be spread to humans.

    Academic text (1996)
  • Certain ethnicities carry certain genetic diseases.

  • We agree with this assessment; like all complex genetic diseases, multiple genes may interact with environmental factors to produce the phenotype.

    Academic text (2002)
  • Strong immune responses can be fatal, especially in someone already weakened by a genetic disease.

    Blog text (22)
  • CF is a genetic disease caused by mutations in a gene called the CFTR gene.

    Blog text (32)
  • Perhaps the best-known example is that of cystic fibrosis, a debilitating genetic disease that impairs breathing and digestion.

    Blog text (31)

Synonyms

disease
vsgenetic disease
2.3

An illness that harms the body or mind and causes symptoms

is narrower, referring only to conditions caused by inherited genetic problems
genetic disorder
vsgenetic disease
  • Specialized
9 4.2

A health problem caused by changes in a person's genes that parents pass on

is defined by inheritance from parents via abnormal genetic material
genetic defect
vsgenetic disease
  • Specialized
6 4.4

A health problem from a change in someone's genes often passed from parents

focuses on conditions inherited from parents due to genetic faults
genetic abnormality
vsgenetic disease
  • Specialized
3 4.6

A change in a person's genes that causes a disease

is the broader inherited condition caused by abnormal genetic material
inherited disease
vsgenetic disease
  • Specialized
2 3.0

A disease passed from parents to their children through genes

specifies that the passed condition comes from abnormal genetic material
hereditary disease
vsgenetic disease
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A disease passed from parents to children through genes

is the same idea but emphasizes cause by abnormal genetic material
hereditary condition
vsgenetic disease
  • Specialized
1 4.0

A health problem parents can pass to their children through genes

is used for conditions that specifically come from abnormal genetic material
inherited disorder
vsgenetic disease
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A disease parents pass to their children in their genes

adds that the passed condition stems from abnormal parental genetic material
monogenic disease
vsgenetic disease
  • Specialized
5.8

A disease caused by a change in a single gene that a person inherits

covers inherited conditions in general rather than single gene cases
polygenic disease
vsgenetic disease
  • Specialized
6.5

A disease passed from parents caused by several genes acting together

is broader, including conditions caused by any genetic abnormality type
polygenic disorder
vsgenetic disease
  • Specialized
7.0

An inherited disease caused by many genes, for example high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes

is the general inherited disorder category beyond multi-gene causes

Surface Forms

Morphology

genetic + disease

The meaning 'a disease caused by genes or inherited' is directly and transparently derivable from combining 'genetic' (pertaining to genes/heredity) with 'disease' (a medical condition). This adjective+noun composition is cross-linguistically common and follows standard semantic modification, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will understand the MWE.

Etymology

Genetic disease comes from the idea that the problem is in a person's genes, the tiny instructions we get from our parents. Because faulty genes are 'passed on' or 'inherited' in a family, the phrase means a disease caused by those genes.